1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dielectric composites and, more particularly, to artificial dielectrics prepared by a direct-write method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Radar absorbing material (RAM) currently in military and commercial use are typically composed of high concentrations of iron powders in a polymer matrix. These materials are both very heavy and very costly, two key limitations to their adoption for many applications.
Various attempts to overcome these problems have involved the creation of artificial dielectrics, including ones based on conductive fiber-filled composites. While successful in many ways, these composites are beset by their own technical difficulties. Uniformity and consistency, critical attributes for a successful RAM, are difficult to achieve with fiber-filled composites as mixing and distribution of the fibers is opposed by the natural tendency of the fibers to clump. Also, there is not as great a cost reduction as expected with fiber-filled composites.